Im right there with you trying to get in. i would recommend used and just have the cash on hand. I am working 80 hours a week a two 8 buck an hour jobs to pay for my racing. it sucks but I am hoping to meet the right people to find the "s" word steve mentioned, SPONSORSHIP!! they want to see what they are sponsoring, work hard and get the disposable cash needed to buy a car without financing. save yourself from all of that trouble!! also, be patient! Ive wanted to race legend cars for 15 years now, Im only 20, but ive always had either time and no money or money and no time. I am dealing with the second of the two right now but a quote my boss always says, Do what you have to do when you have to do it, so you can do what you want to do when you want to do it. it is no fun right now but Ill be racing a legend car soon some way or another
I also learned that the tools are extremely important to your racing operation too, learned this the hard way racing karts for the past year.
set a goal for yourself, mine is that I want to be racing a uslc by january 2013
set a budget, I am working to get 15,000 bucks in cash to buy a used car, 24' trailer, safety equipment, and tools
stay motivated, dont get burned out if you dont find the perfect package this week or this month or even this year!! remind yourself that you have a date you want to be racing by and keep working hard until then so you can afford that great pakage deal you had been scouting out the past few weeks
finally, post ALL of your questions on here, im new but have already gotten enough info to know at least what i am talking about when I go to the pits to meet the people I will be racing against.
best of luck to you and getting your racing career started!!